Strikers down Hurricanes to boost BBL chances

Adelaide Strikers gave themselves a real chance of a top-four finish with a comprehensive 38-run victory over the Hobart Hurricanes at the Bellerive Oval.

Playing in front of a hazy backdrop - the result of bushfires in Tasmania - Strikers skipper Johan Botha won the toss and, unusually for this tournament, elected to bat first.

The move looked to have backfired when Tim Ludeman (3) and Kieron Pollard (9) fell early but Michael Klinger (71 not out) and Callum Ferguson (33) did not let the run rate drop as they put on 59 for the third wicket before the latter was run out by Owais Shah.

Nathan Reardon (29) then gave former captain Klinger support in the middle and after he fell in the final over, Botha (12 not out) remarkably hit fours from each of the three deliveries he faced - two via reverse sweeps.

A target of 163 did not seem beyond perhaps the strongest batting lineup in the tournament and especially not when, following Aiden Blizzard's dismissal for a duck, Tim Paine (33) and Ricky Ponting (26) were at the crease.

After treating his home crowd to some superb pull shots, Ponting was caught at point by Botha as he looked to attack leg-spinner Cameron Boyce.

Boyce also took the crucial wickets of Paine, who holed out to long off, and Travis Birt (1) who was a victim of perhaps the catch of the tournament from Kane Richardson who made a diving one-handed grab while running backwards from long off.

Richardson then bowled Shah (9) and after two fours George Bailey (17) joined him in the sheds in the following over.

Xavier Doherty and Ben Laughlin gave some respectability to the scoreline putting on an unbeaten 23 for the final wicket but never threatened the Strikers' total, the home side finishing on 8 for 124 off the full 20 overs.

Both sides now have 8 points, with the Strikers up to third - above the Melbourne Stars on run rate - and the Hurricanes just outside the top four in fifth.